{"title":"Hand sanitizers as a preventive measure in COVID-19 pandemic, its characteristics, and harmful effects: a review.","authors":"Parixit Prajapati, Heli Desai, Chandni Chandarana","doi":"10.1186/s42506-021-00094-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s42506-021-00094-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In the global health emergency caused by COVID-19, multiple experts have mandated the use of hand sanitizers as a safety measure from COVID-19. The sale of hand sanitizers has increased many folds. Therefore, when there is such large use of hand sanitizers, it becomes extremely important to study and understand hand sanitizers in a comprehensive manner. This article starts with the importance of sanitizers as a defence mechanism that is employed by the hand to fight against the coronavirus. This article provides information about history, types, composition, various dosage forms, and marketed formulations of hand sanitizers. The article sheds a detailed light on industrial production techniques for hand sanitizers and also outlines new innovative techniques that were employed by the industry to mass produce hand sanitizers in the wake of the pandemic. The article further dives into a comparison between hand sanitizers and soaps so as to give pros and cons of the use of soap against the use of hand sanitizers. One of the aims of the article is to study the side effects of sanitizers so as to develop a cautious approach while using hand sanitizers and therefore a comprehensive list of side effects of the use of hand sanitizers is given.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The review article finds that hand sanitizers are extremely efficient in fight the virus but along with it, it brings along arrange of risks which are outlined in the article.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":" ","pages":"6"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8823197/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39899240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ebrahim Payberah, Daniel Payberah, Ashish Sarangi, Jayasudha Gude
{"title":"COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in patients with mental illness: strategies to overcome barriers-a review.","authors":"Ebrahim Payberah, Daniel Payberah, Ashish Sarangi, Jayasudha Gude","doi":"10.1186/s42506-022-00102-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s42506-022-00102-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>People with mental health problems are at particular risk both for infection with COVID-19 and for more severe course of illness. Understanding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is crucial in promoting vaccine acceptance among people with mental health diagnoses. This review aims to identify the prevalence and discuss factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among the mentally ill population.</p><p><strong>Main body: </strong>We conducted a detailed literature search and included 15 articles for discussion in this review. Several studies showed varying trends of vaccine hesitancy rates among different countries. Major factors involved in vaccine hesitancy in general include mistrust, misinformation, believing in conspiracy theories, and negative attitudes towards vaccines. It was surprising that none of the studies were focused on vaccine acceptance rates and factors associated with vaccine hesitancy among the mentally ill population. However, studies do show that COVID-19 is associated with worse healthcare outcomes for psychiatric patients, and vaccine hesitancy correlated with a lower likelihood of receiving mental health treatment and vaccinations. Psychiatrists need to address issues among patients who are particularly vulnerable to the fear of vaccines which include anxiety, panic attacks, certain phobias including trypanophobia and agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and certain types of traumas. Psychiatrists need to communicate effectively, show respect, empathy, and deliver accurate and honest information about the vaccines. Motivational interviewing, getting people with mental health illness to organize vaccine campaigns, and involving families with mental health problems may promote vaccine acceptance among this group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Existing literature on the rates of vaccine hesitancy among people with mental health illness is limited. The mental health illness may increase the risk of hesitancy especially in patients having certain emotional disorders such as anxiety and phobia. More studies addressing vaccine hesitancy rates and factors associated with the mentally ill population need to be done in the future.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"97 ","pages":"5"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8777419/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39721893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Noha Asem Mohamed, Madiha Said Abdel-Razik, Marwa Rashad Salem
{"title":"Adjustment of family planning service statistics reports to support decision-making at central and governorate level, Egypt.","authors":"Noha Asem Mohamed, Madiha Said Abdel-Razik, Marwa Rashad Salem","doi":"10.1186/s42506-021-00098-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s42506-021-00098-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP)-Family Planning Sector (FPS) has a strong management information system (MIS) that allows the flow of data from MOHP-FP clinics, health districts, and governorates up to the central level. Yet, family planning (FP) quarterly reports issued at the central level are presented as database/spreadsheet software documents. These data are not used to provide indicators or information that aid in decision-making or the tracking of FP services over time. The objective of the study is to organize data in the database, develop key performance indicators, and design FP reports and policy briefs.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study is operations research that is driven by published data derived from MOHP-FP sector-head, and 2014 service statistics quarterly hardcopy reports. The information was entered into an excel program, and 15 key performance indicators (KPIs) were calculated and used to rank Egypt's 27 governorates. We developed an annual FP report form, settled tables, and colored graphs that are liable to rank the governorates from best to least favorable.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The quarterly data sheets issued by the MOHP-FP sector were organized for the quarters, and one annual sheet was developed with the organization of Egypt's Governorates into 4 specific regions, with each governorate having a fixed position in all reports. The key performance indicators were as follows: percent of clients aged 35 and up; percent of clients with fewer than three children; proportion of current FP users by method; percent of clients reported as first-time clients; percent of clients defined as new clients (non-FP users and FP discontinuers); and contraceptive coverage rate, i.e., percent coverage of married women of reproductive age with dispensed FP methods expressed as couple years.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>MOHP-FP sector service statistics data could be used for the development of fifteen key performance indicators. Having those indicators at governorate, district, and central levels in quarterly and annual reports and their communication with decision-makers at all levels and their tracking overtime will guide them to timely decision-making for improving performance in FP services at all levels.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":" ","pages":"4"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8776940/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39836951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Manal Mohamed Elkayal, Mahmoud Abdel Hameed Shahin, Rasha Mohammed Hussien
{"title":"Psychological distress related to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic and coping strategies among general population in Egypt.","authors":"Manal Mohamed Elkayal, Mahmoud Abdel Hameed Shahin, Rasha Mohammed Hussien","doi":"10.1186/s42506-021-00100-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s42506-021-00100-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Psychological distress is considered a threat to the mental health of human beings. This research was conducted at the beginning of the emerging COVID-19 pandemic, when most people had limited knowledge about coronavirus, mode of transmission, associated manifestations, with uncertainty about treatment, vaccine, future life, and coping capacity. This study examined the nature of the psychological distress related to the emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and coping strategies adopted among the general population in Egypt.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study assessing a convenience sample consisting of 312 participants from the general population in Egypt. Data were gathered as online responses to a questionnaire which incorporated a sociodemographic datasheet, psychological distress scale, and ways of coping scale.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Forty-two percent of the participants showed severe psychological distress and 26% showed mild to moderate psychological distress. There was a strong positive correlation between the distress score and the overall coping score-that is, the higher the distress, the more ways of coping were adopted (p < 0.001). This study also showed that the methods of adaptation used by most of the population were based on emotional coping strategy. The most adaptive people were those who work in the health field and the residents in the cities with a monthly income sufficient enough to meet their needs; better adaptation methods were also seen among both divorced and highly educated people. We also found a significant relationship between sociodemographic characteristics except for sex and overall coping methods (p < 0.001). Further, significant relationships between sociodemographic characteristics and psychological distress were observed (p < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Most of the study population as a sample of the general population in Egypt reported suffering from varying degrees of psychological distress during the COVID-19 crisis. However, the more severe an individual's level of psychological distress, the greater their adaptation ability was. This study focuses light on the importance to provide appropriate interventions against COVID-19-related stresses and equipping people with suitable strategies for coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"97 1","pages":"3"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8754360/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10374468","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Doaa Mohamed Osman, Fatma R Khalaf, Gellan K Ahmed, Ahmed Y Abdelbadee, Ahmed M Abbas, Heba M Mohammed
{"title":"Worry from contracting COVID-19 infection and its stigma among Egyptian health care providers.","authors":"Doaa Mohamed Osman, Fatma R Khalaf, Gellan K Ahmed, Ahmed Y Abdelbadee, Ahmed M Abbas, Heba M Mohammed","doi":"10.1186/s42506-021-00099-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s42506-021-00099-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Backgrounds: </strong>Healthcare providers (HCPs) in COVID-19 epidemic face stressful workload of disease management, shortage of protective equipment and high risk of infection and mortality. These stressors affect greatly their mental health. The aim is to identify working conditions among Egyptian HCPs during COVID-19 epidemic as well as stigma and worry perceptions from contracting COVID-19 infection and their predictors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted among 565 HCPs. Data was collected through Google online self-administered questionnaire comprised seven parts: demographics characteristics, knowledge and attitude of COVID-19, working condition, worry of contracting COVID-19 at work, discrimination intention at work for COVID-19 patients, stigma assessment using impact stigma, and internalized shame scales.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The vast majority of HCPs (94.7%) were worried from contracting COVID-19 at work. Risk factors for perceiving severe worry from contracting COVID-19 were expecting infection as a severe illness, believing that infection will not be successfully controlled, improbability to continue working during the pandemic even if in a well/fit health, high discrimination intention and impact stigma scales. Significantly high impact stigma scores were detected among those aged < 30 years, females, workers primarily in sites susceptible for contracting COVID-19 infection, those had severe worry from contracting infection at work, and high internalized shame scale. The risk factors for perceiving higher internalized shame scores were not having a previous experience in working during a pandemic, high discrimination intention towards COVID-19 patients and high impact stigma scale.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Considerable levels of worry and stigma were detected among Egyptian HCPs during COVID-19 outbreak. The psychological aspect of health care providers should not be overlooked during epidemic; appropriate institutional mental health support should be provided especially for young HCPs, those without previous work experience in epidemic and those who work in high-risk units. Raising the community awareness about contribution of HCPs in fighting the epidemic might decrease stigmatization action toward HCPs.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":" ","pages":"2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8744032/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39892375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ahmad Fasseeh, Baher ElEzbawy, Wessam Adly, Rawda ElShahawy, Mohsen George, Sherif Abaza, Amr ElShalakani, Zoltán Kaló
{"title":"Healthcare financing in Egypt: a systematic literature review.","authors":"Ahmad Fasseeh, Baher ElEzbawy, Wessam Adly, Rawda ElShahawy, Mohsen George, Sherif Abaza, Amr ElShalakani, Zoltán Kaló","doi":"10.1186/s42506-021-00089-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s42506-021-00089-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Egyptian healthcare system has multiple stakeholders, including a wide range of public and private healthcare providers and several financing agents. This study sheds light on the healthcare system's financing mechanisms and the flow of funds in Egypt. It also explores the expected challenges facing the system with the upcoming changes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a systematic review of relevant papers through the PubMed and Scopus search engines, in addition to searching gray literature through the ISPOR presentations database and the Google search engine. Articles related to Egypt's healthcare system financing from 2009 to 2019 were chosen for full-text review. Data were aggregated to estimate budgets and financing routes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We analyzed the data of 56 out of 454 identified records. Governmental health expenditure represented approximately one-third of the total health expenditure (THE). Total health expenditure as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP) was almost stagnant in the last 12 years, with a median of 5.5%. The primary healthcare financing source is out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure, representing more than 60% of THE, followed by government spending through the Ministry of Finance, around 37% of THE. The pharmaceutical expenditure as a percent of THE ranged from 26.0 to 37.0%.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Although THE as an absolute number is increasing, total health expenditure as a percentage of GDP is declining. The Egyptian healthcare market is based mainly on OOP expenditures and the next period anticipates a shift toward more public spending after Universal Health Insurance gets implemented.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":" ","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8741917/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39794047","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ergonomic risk factors and musculoskeletal disorders in bank staff: an interventional follow-up study in Iran.","authors":"Majid Motamedzadeh, Mahdi Jalali, Rostam Golmohammadi, Javad Faradmal, Hamid Reza Zakeri, Iman Nasiri","doi":"10.1186/s42506-021-00097-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s42506-021-00097-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Long-term use of computer in a static mode may cause musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in bank staff. Considering the high number of bank employees in different countries, such as Iran, the risk factors of these disorders should be investigated in order to implement interventions required to reduce the risk factors. This study aimed to examine the risk factors of MSDs using the Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) method and to perform an ergonomic intervention program with banking staff in Iran.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This interventional study was conducted on 277 bank employees in Iran. Subjects were randomly divided into three groups, including a control group (without any intervention), an educational intervention (EI) group, and a group receiving both educational and physical intervention (EPI). Before and after the intervention, the ROSA method and Nordic questionnaire were used to assess the risk factors of MSDs in office jobs and to investigate the prevalence of MSDs. Data were collected 2 weeks before and 9 months following the intervention.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Before the intervention, the mean score of ROSA at workstations of all groups was above five with high risk. Nine months after the start of the intervention, there was a significant decrease in the mean ROSA score and its components in the two groups that received the intervention, which was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The results of the study of the prevalence of MSDs in the employees-before the intervention-indicate that the highest prevalence of MSDs in the control group was in areas of the neck (67.1%), back (64.4%), and lower back (63%). In the EI group, the highest prevalence of MSDs was in the neck (65.2%), lower back (61.6%), and back (60.7%) areas. In the EPI group, the discomfort areas were the neck (68.5%), shoulders (66.3%), and lower back (60.9%). Nine months after the intervention, there was a significant decrease in the prevalence of MSDs in the neck, shoulders, and lumbar regions of staff who received the intervention (P < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Nine months after performing the interventions, there was a relative improvement in workstations and prevalence of MSDs in various areas within the bodies of the bank staff. This study showed that using the ROSA method is appropriate for assessing the risk factors of office work and that it can identify deficiencies in workstations. These defects can be addressed by designing and implementing an EI program together with physical interventions according to the components of the ROSA method.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"96 1","pages":"34"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8665913/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39715739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mohammad Sarowar Uddin, Md Shalahuddin Millat, Prodip Kumar Baral, Mahmuda Ferdous, Md Giash Uddin, Md Shahid Sarwar, Mohammad Safiqul Islam
{"title":"The protective role of vitamin C in the management of COVID-19: A Review.","authors":"Mohammad Sarowar Uddin, Md Shalahuddin Millat, Prodip Kumar Baral, Mahmuda Ferdous, Md Giash Uddin, Md Shahid Sarwar, Mohammad Safiqul Islam","doi":"10.1186/s42506-021-00095-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s42506-021-00095-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The outbreak of coronavirus infectious disease-2019 (COVID-19) is globally deemed a significant threat to human life. Researchers are searching for prevention strategies, mitigation interventions, and potential therapeutics that may reduce the infection's severity. One such means that is highly being talked in online and in social media is vitamin C.</p><p><strong>Main text: </strong>Vitamin C is a robust antioxidant that boosts the immune system of the human body. It helps in normal neutrophil function, scavenging of oxidative species, regeneration of vitamin E, modulation of signaling pathways, activation of pro-inflammatory transcription factors, activation of the signaling cascade, regulation of inflammatory mediators, and phagocytosis and increases neutrophil motility to the site of infection. All of these immunological functions are required for the prevention of COVID-19 infection.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Considering the role of vitamin C, it would be imperative to administrate vitamin C for the management of severe COVID-19. However, there is no specific clinical data available to confirm the use of vitamin C in the current pandemic.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"96 1","pages":"33"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8665316/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39804733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ashraf Reda, Hany Ragy, Kanwal Saeed, Mohammed Ashraf Alhussaini
{"title":"A semi-systematic review on hypertension and dyslipidemia care in Egypt-highlighting evidence gaps and recommendations for better patient outcomes.","authors":"Ashraf Reda, Hany Ragy, Kanwal Saeed, Mohammed Ashraf Alhussaini","doi":"10.1186/s42506-021-00096-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42506-021-00096-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Both hypertension and dyslipidemia are considered as major modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and their prevalence in Egypt has increased in recent years. Evidence-based systematic evaluation of data on hypertension and dyslipidemia is critical for effective patient-centric management to reduce the overall risk of CVDs in Egypt. This semi-systematic review aimed to quantify and identify data gaps in the prevalence and distribution of patient journey touchpoints including awareness, screening, diagnosis, treatment, adherence, and control of hypertension and dyslipidemia to provide the basis for research prioritization, practice guidance, and health care reforms in Egypt.</p><p><strong>Main body: </strong>Structured search was conducted on MEDLINE and Embase to identify articles published in English between January 2010 and December 2019 that reported key patient journey touchpoints in hypertension and dyslipidemia management. Unstructured search was conducted on public or government websites with no date restriction. Data from all sources were extracted and presented descriptively. In total, 22 studies published between 1995 and 2020 on hypertension and dyslipidemia were included in the final analyses. The prevalence of hypertension in Egypt ranged from 12.1 to 59%. Studies reported awareness (37.5% and 43.9%), diagnosis (42% and 64.7%), treatment (24% and 54.1%), and adherence to antihypertensive medication (51.9%) to be low. Furthermore, the percentage of patients who had their blood pressure controlled ranged from 8 to 53.2%. The prevalence of dyslipidemia varied in the general population (range 19.2-36.8%) but was higher in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) (50.9% and 52.5%) and coronary artery disease (58.7%). A national report indicated that 8.6% of the general population was screened for dyslipidemia; however, no data was available on the diagnosis and treatment rates. Among ACS patients, 73.9% were treated for dyslipidemia. Data indicated low levels of medication adherence (59%) among dyslipidemia patients, with overall low control rates ranging from 5.1 to 34.4% depending on CVD risk in populations including ACS patients.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Data on patient journey touchpoints of hypertension and dyslipidemia are limited in Egypt, indicating the need for more systematic and high-quality evidence-based studies covering different aspects of patient-centric management for better management of CVD and its risk factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"96 1","pages":"32"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8634749/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39949445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nayera S Mostafa, Radwa Nabil El Shereif, Ayat F Manzour
{"title":"Neglected cause of retinal detachment: a hospital-based case-control study on occupational heavy lifting as a risk factor.","authors":"Nayera S Mostafa, Radwa Nabil El Shereif, Ayat F Manzour","doi":"10.1186/s42506-021-00091-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s42506-021-00091-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Heavy lifting may lead to sudden increase in venous, intra-abdominal, and intraocular pressure which in turn may cause retinal detachment (RD). The epidemiological evidence for this association is still inconclusive. This study was carried out to investigate the relationship between occupational heavy lifting and RD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A case-control study was carried out on 151 RD cases and 113 controls free of RD attending the ophthalmology outpatient clinic at Ain Shams University. Personal, medical, and occupational data were collected using interview questionnaires in addition to conducting full ophthalmologic examination.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean age of study participants was 45.8 ± 9.1 years (46.8 ± 8.9, 44.4 ± 9.2 for RD cases and controls respectively). Statistically significant differences were found between cases and controls regarding years of working, occupational categories, frequency of occupational heavy lifting, non-work heavy lifting, history of head trauma, history of eye surgeries, and family history of RD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that lifting (Odds ratio (OR) = 4.8, p < 0.0001), history of head trauma (OR = 3.3, p = 0.013), diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR = 4.96, p < 0.0001), and previous eye surgeries (OR = 3.5, p = 0.003) increased the risk of RD.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Occupational heavy lifting is associated with RD. Occupational categories, duration of lifting heavy objects during work and family history of RD had a significant effect on RD. An ergonomic approach should be adopted and practiced as it has a significant impact on reducing the risks of lifting and carrying heavy objects. The workplace's design (including having appropriate mechanical aids available) is also of significant importance to reducing the risks. During the patient's visit, ophthalmologists should consider and look for the occupational heavy lifting history as a potential risk factor of the patient's symptoms.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"96 1","pages":"31"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8595407/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39881765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}